Rudder-lock



.F. H. ROGERS.

R'UDD ER LOCK. APPLICATION FILED ocT 16} 1920.

Patented une 21, 1921.

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Wu .w M Ew A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK HARRISON ROGERS, OF ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

RUBBER-LOCK.

Application filed October 16,1920. Serial No. 417,371.

To all w/zom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. Roenns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Arlington, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Rudder-Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a lock, and more particularly a device of this nature adapted to cooperate with a rudder.

In connection with boats, and more particularly ferry boats, it is a well appreciated fact that it has been customary to provide propellers and rudders at the bow and stern of the vessel. This permits of the vessel being maneuvered either forward and backward across a stretch of water, without the necessity of turning the vessel around, after she has been moved from one of her slips.

Thus, in some instances, the bow rudder is utilized for steering, and in other instances the stern rudder is used for this purpose, according to the direction. in which the vessel is moving. 7

Obviously, the rudder not in use, and acting as a out water, must be securely posi' tioned to prevent the same from oscillating and damaging the propeller situated adjacent the same, as well as generally impeding the progress of the vessel.

"With this in View, it has been customary to associate a locking pin with the rudder post which is not in use, so as to prevent any movement of the rudder.

It is now to be appreciated that in cases of emergency, it may be necessary to reverse the direction of travel of the vessel, in which instance the locking pin associated with the rudder post must be removed. Thus, a sailor goes to the rudder post and removes this pin.

Further, the decks of vessels, and particularly ferry boats, are usually occupied by vehicles, so that it is extremely difficult to get to this pin without moving the vehicles. Also in case of fire, in the immediate neighborhood of the rudder post, it is impossible to remove the locking pin so that the vessel may not be maneuvered in the opposite direction from which she is proceeding.

A further defect has been experienced in certain instances, due to the fact that the locking pin utilized to prevent an oscillating of the rudder post has become loosened, so

, that the rudder is swung resulting in damage to the propeller adjacent the same, as well as the rudder.

"With this in view, I have provided a rudder lock, which may primarily be operated at a point remote from the rudder post so that the defects aforeenumerated are avoided.

A further object of my invention is the construction of a device of this nature in which the locking device shall become incapable of becoming loosened during the progress of the vessel.

Further objects or" my invention will appear in the annexed specification and drawings, which latter present one practical embodiment of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a lock constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same applied to a vessel indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts as shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

. In these views the reierencenumeralo indicates the deck of a vessel, which includes the conventional pilot house 6, the latter being provided with any suitable type of steering propellers, or communication by cables or other suitable elements 8, with the rudder post drum 9.

. Secured to the rudder post drum, which may be of any suitable construction, is the rudder post 10 having a rudder 11 of any conventional type associated with its lower end. Thus in the usual manner, upon the operation of the steering propellers 7 within the pilot house 6, the cables 8 will be actuated to operate the drum or other suitable element 9, secured to the underside of the deck 5, whereby to actuate the rudder 11 through the post 10.

Contrary to the conventional construction, however, the drum 9 is formed with a recessed portion in its side edge, it being noted that said recessed portion conveniently includes inwardly inclined side walls 12, the inner ends of which are continued in walls 13, extending parallel to each other, terminating in a wedge shaped recess 14:.

A slidable member 15 is arranged upon the underside of the deck 5, and has its outer end in the form of a wedge 16, conforming to the inclined side walls 12, such wedge being continued in a straight portion terminate in a pointed end 18 adapted to.

seat within the recess 14.

By this construction, it will be obvious that upon a projection of the slidable member being effected into the recess forming a part of the cable drum 9, that the wedge 16 will cooperate with the inclined side walls 12 of the recess to prevent any movement of the drum with respect to the slidable member 15, the straight portion 17 engaging the side walls of the recess to prevent the slidable member from being worked from the recess upon a slight amount of play coming into existence incident to the wave action against the rudder 11.

This construction also permits the pilot to leave the drum 9 in a position at which the rudder 11 will not be quite in line with the keel of the boat, alinement being effected upon the pointed end of the slidable member 15 coming into engagement with any of the side walls of the recess, such slidable member effecting alinement between the parts upon the same seating completely within the recessed portion of the drum 9 as may readily be appreciated.

To effect an actuation of the slidable member 15 a bar 19 is conveniently attached to the rear-end thereof, such bar being preferably formed with a pin 20 adapted to be engaged bythe pin of a cog wheel 21 secured to a shaft 22, adapted to be rotated by a crank 23 positioned within the pilot house 6. a

A pawl and ratchet 241 may also be conveniently affixed to the shaft 22 within the pilot house, such pawl and ratchet serving as a mechanism to further prevent the ro tation of the bar upon its having been pr0- jected, or vice versa.

Thus I have provided a rudder lock which may be operated from the pilot house, or any other desirable point, which will at all times hold the rudder 11 from any move ment with respect to the keel, if this is to be effected. 7

It will also be understood that any accidental removal of the slidable member 15 from out of engagement with the drum 9 will be prevented due to the wedge structure forming part of my invention which locking action'may further be insured by means of the ratchet 2&, if this is desired.

Obviously numerous modifications of structure might readily be resorted to with out in the least departing from the spirit of my invention, which I claim as' A rudder lock, including in combination with the rudder post of a vessel and drum attached thereto, of a member slidable toward said rudder post'and adapted to extend intoa recess formed in said drum for preventing a rotation of sa1d rudder'post, sa1d sl dable member belng formed with a wedge-shaped forward end, the I recess in sa1d drum being formed with inclined side walls corresponding to saidwedge shaped end, the wedge shaped portion of saidslidable member being continued in a straight portion, the inclined side walls of'said recess terminating at a point short of a point at which they, would intersect, and being continued in the form of parallel extending side walls. r

FREDERICK HARRISON ROGERS. 

